For days and weeks, New Delhi was abuzz with rumours of the return of Sanjaya Baru (in picture). Would he go back to the Prime Minister’s Office, where he had served as media advisor? Would he be sent to the Planning Commission? Would he be in charge of programme implementation?
Well, it turns out he will be the new editor of the business daily Business Standard from January 2010 in place of T.N. Ninan, who is a minority share-holder in the paper along with his wife, the media critic Sevanti Ninan.
Baru will report to Ninan as editor of the paper and then as editorial director of the company.
Also read: Sauce for a paper ain’t sauce for a TV station?
Conflict of interest and interest in conflicts
External link: Sanjaya Baru on H.Y. Sharada Prasad
IJR 
Dr Baru has a challenge ahead of him. He has to contend with the phenomenon called Ninan, who is too egocentric and promotes yes-men. Can Dr Baru toe Ninan’s line? Knowing a little bit of Dr Baru this is most unlikely.